Editorial Reviews

Barnes & Noble - Mark Schwartz

Brooklyn's Antibalas bring the fighting spirit of Fela Anikulapo Kuti to an '01 audience with their debut on the hip indie label Ninjatune. Espousing a Third World liberationist agenda shared by folks such as Fela's son Femi, the Dalai Lama, and Rage Against the Machine, Antibalas whose name means "bulletproof" in Spanish kick up a righteously syncopated funk that ought to be instantly familiar to disciples of Fela's Afro-beat. There's the James Brown-inspired rhythmic vamps, the inspired saxophone honk of leader Martin Antibalas, and the pidgin vocalizing of Nigerian frontman Duke Amayo, calling yes-men and bureaucratic hustlers out on the carpet over lengthy jams ...

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Editorial Reviews

Barnes & Noble
- Mark Schwartz

Brooklyn's Antibalas bring the fighting spirit of Fela Anikulapo Kuti to an '01 audience with their debut on the hip indie label Ninjatune. Espousing a Third World liberationist agenda shared by folks such as Fela's son Femi, the Dalai Lama, and Rage Against the Machine, Antibalas whose name means "bulletproof" in Spanish kick up a righteously syncopated funk that ought to be instantly familiar to disciples of Fela's Afro-beat. There's the James Brown-inspired rhythmic vamps, the inspired saxophone honk of leader Martin Antibalas, and the pidgin vocalizing of Nigerian frontman Duke Amayo, calling yes-men and bureaucratic hustlers out on the carpet over lengthy jams each between six and ten minutes. Antibalas differ from the Black President in their incorporation of more Latin-derived rhythms and occasional Spanish lyrics, as well as appreciation of the last 20 years of urban funk -- for example, "Battle of the Species" transposes an Ethiopian pop groove over a low-riding hip-hop pulse. What sets Antibalas apart from most other bands on the planet is their diehard collectivist/anarchist ethos, manifested in indie labels, DIY tours, and political activism. Here's hoping the tack works better for Antibalas than it did for Zack De La Rocha and Co.

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